Autohydrolysis and microemulsion treatments followed by microfluidization were employed to isolate Micro and Nano Fibrillar Cellulose (MNFC) from coir fibers and palm tree empty fruit bunches (EFB) with residual lignin content of ~24 and ~31 wt%, respectively. The fibers and associated MNFC were characterized in each treatment for their chemical (FTIR), structural (SEM, AFM, confocal microscopy and XRD) and thermal (TGA) properties. The most significant findings include the fact that two MNFC populations, with distinctive structural differences were produced, with characteristic lateral dimensions of 20-70 nm and 1-3 μm. The lignin distribution after possible re-condensation on the fiber walls or inside hollow fibers occurred in the form of nano-droplets. Finally, a correlation between thermal degradation of MNFC with the spatial arrangement of lignin is hypothesized and a defibrillation mechanism is proposed. The detailed structural and thermo-chemical analyses presented here are expected to facilitate further interest in the synthesis of new materials from MNFC isolated from coir and EFB, two abundant bioresources that are most suitable for their valorization.

Morphological and thermo-chemical changes upon autohydrolysis and microemulsion treatments of coir and EFB residual biomass to isolate lignin-rich Micro and Nano Fibrillar Cellulose (MNFC)

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.